After Care – Botulinum A Toxin
Today you may have undergone a treatment in which a tiny amount of muscle-relaxing protein has been injected into muscles to improve appearance, migraines, or hyperhidrosis. It will usually take between 3 and 10 days to start to see any muscle-relaxing effect and 14 days until the full effect has been reached.
What’s Normal after a Procedure?
Injections can cause small amounts of swelling, a temporary bump, redness, bruising, a mild to moderate headache, and sensations such as tingling or mild itching after the treatments. These effects are so common they can be considered a normal part of the process. The initial effects will show in the first 2-5 days. Peak effect on the muscle is at 14 days, but the result will continue to improve for 4 weeks or more. The benefits will start to wear off at 3-4 months on average.
How to Protect Your Result & Reduce Side Effects
- Remain upright for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Do small extra contractions of the muscles treated every 20 minutes for the first hour.
- For a minimum of 24 hours post-treatment, avoid alcohol and exposure to UV and extreme heat (i.e. sauna, steam, sun beds, very hot showers, yoga, strenuous exercise, etc.). When cleansing, avoid pressure and use gentle strokes away from the eyes and in an upward motion.
- Avoid wearing tight caps or garments in the area that has been injected for the first 2 days.
- Avoid facial massages or electrical stimulation of the face for the next 2 weeks.
Reduce the Chance of Infection:
- Do not apply make-up for approximately 6 hours unless it is mineral-based.
- Do not touch your face in the areas injected for 6 hours.
Contact Us…
- If you develop a side effect, such as dry eye, droopy eyelid, or heavy brow.
- Over-elevation of the tail of the eyebrow.
- Routine adjustments can be carried out from day 14 after your procedure.
Dermal Fillers (Hyaluronic Acid) After Care
If you have undergone a dermal filler treatment, a hyaluronic acid gel was injected into your skin or lips to improve shape, proportion, lines, shadows, or wrinkles
What’s Normal after a Procedure?
Due to the anesthetic in the gel, you may feel numbness or tingling immediately after the procedure and have some moderate swelling, redness, bruising, and tenderness over the areas treated. Some people experience a dull ache and tenderness over the treated areas which subsides between 48-72 hours. Mild, non-painful swelling can last for up to 2 weeks. Bruising is usually visible initially, then more obvious the next day before fading over 7 to 14 days. A small minority of bruises can last for 4-6 weeks. Full results are expected after two weeks.
How to Protect Your Result & Reduce Side Effects
- For 48 hours you should avoid exposure to UV light and heat (i.e. sauna, steam, sun beds, hot showers, strenuous exercise, etc.) as this may increase discomfort and swelling.
- Keep the area cool with a cold compress or icepack for 5-10 minutes every 1-2 hours.
- Try to avoid unnecessary pressure over any areas treated, especially in the first 24 hours.
- Avoid facial massages or skin resurfacing until the area has healed fully.
Reduce the Chance of Infection
- Reduce the risk of infection and reaction by not touching the area for 6 hours.
- Do not apply make-up over injection points until the day after the procedure.
When to Contact Us…
Serious complications are rare, but it’s vital you seek urgent review if anything like this occurs:
- Swelling, puffiness, or lumpiness that does not resolve after two weeks with gentle massage.
IMPORTANT:
Contact us immediately if you have symptoms of a blocked blood vessel. If you develop increasing pain near or above the site of injection which is getting worse over time, especially if associated with a pale, mottled, or dusky grey area of skin indicating a lack of blood flow, you should contact us immediately. In rare cases, an urgent reversal or other medical interventions may be required immediately to prevent scarring. If we are unreachable for attendance at accident and emergency is advised. Make contact with us as soon as possible so we can advise other clinicians to help them. Emergency contact: 780-860-6062 (Dr. Eric Wong)
